The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-04-23
A STORY OF JAY GOULD.
HOW THE MAGNATE WAS VICTIM
lied BY PRACTICAL JOKERS.

| HaChClnS experience - HOW @10
| Waded Ashore.
Correspondence of the Philadelphia Press.
| New. York, April at the residence
of o club man, whose reputation as rd-
contour is nearly as great as that OF his
Burgundy, l noticed a pretty model of Jib
and mainsail yacht. Replying to my add
mring inquiry tho club man explained:
That is the model of boat upon which
we're passed some Of the sunnest hours of
my life She was owned by the Cruger
family, of Cruger-on-the- Hudson, and has
an added interest from the fact that upon
her Jay Gould acquired his first yachting
experience, aud SO cventful one that I'll
| bet he remembers it 20 this day.
The crugers-one of the oldest and best
known families in the STATE intermarried
erboclers like the Schuylers, Livingstons
and Van Renseelacrs-owned ali the land in
| the neghborhood OF the station subsequent
ly named after them. A portion OF this
| property consisted OF u bricGyurd, which
was rented 10 the son OF old Schuyler Llv-
ingst0n. Il was in 1853 or 1854, aud Jay
Gould had Just failed in the tannery bust
ness il Pennsylvania
Young IivingstOn's leased brickyard
wasn't paying, and he concluded that it
needed Il shrewd business man at its head.
| He Advertised for partner, and ono day
there appeared in response a small, dark
gentleman, looking scl1ipul0usly neat in his
black hroadcloth. He gave his name as
| jaw Gould. Pending negotiations, Mr..
Gould became the guest of the Crugeis at
the old mansion on the hill. Every effort
| was put forth to entertain him during his
| stay, the more SO as he seemed to regard
favorably partnership with their young
friend.
''One day Mr.. Cruger invited Gould to
take a sail TO NewbWg and got ready his
yacht, of which that model is reduction.
| Several of us youngsters were taken along
! TO help work the boat Eugene Cruger, Il
nephew Of the yachts owner, was one of lis.
| Peekslzll was reached and the whole party
went up To the hotel.
WHEN GOULD WORE ovERALLS.
All the way up the river we had noticed
that Mr.. Gould was uneasy, shifting about
| constantly on the deck where he sat. and
squiIming and twisting as if seeking to find
| a softer spot. Nothing was said about 1t, OF
course but when we landed Mr.. Gould him
self furnished the explanation From the
heat of the sun the yellow paint on the
boats deck had become baked
and chalky and it was not long be-
fore the little man discovered that the dry
powder was coming off on his trousers.
|
ing he was afraid his broadcloth neither gar
ments would be, if they were not already,
ruined and was determined to abandon the
trip and return by rail. This Mr.. Cruger
would not hear of, and promised to obviate
the difficulty. We all adjourned to a gener-
al store, and Cruger bought, for two shil-
lings and a half, a pair of jean Overalls.
These Mr.. Gould put on when he went
aboard the boat, and expressed his unquali-
fled satisfaction at the result
son our trip back from Newburg we
again called at Peekskill, and once more the
party started for the hotel. This time
!. Gould declined the invitation to take some
thing and preferred to remain on board.
About an hour was spent in the hotel when
suddenly Mr.. Cruger remembered that he
wanted some white lead, and young Eugene
Cruger and I went with him to the store tC
carry it down to the boat.
'EHowd the overaHs work Mr. Cruger
was the salutation of the storekeeper. TheI
before an answer could be returned, he
added admiringly: That friend O yourn is
purity shrewd.'
".Who, MI Gould Yes, he appears tC
be a thorough business man..
"'Well, / sh'd say SO! He kin drive 6
mighty sharp bargain
"'Drive a sharp bargainf repeated Cru
ger, all at sea. What do you meanF
"'Why, don't you know he was in here
|
sold me back the overalls you bought fol
him.
Thunder, nor roared Cruger i'll aston
ishment.
"'Well. sir, he jest did that. He KEN il
here, tole me he'd no further use for 'em
that they was as good as when | sold em
an after we'd haggled awhile he greed ten
take two shillin' fur EN-, which paid him
Here's the overalls'
II can shut my eyes now, went on thC
Jolly club man, with a hearty laugh, sutinl
the action TO the words, land call up Mr.
Cruger's face with its mingled expression OF
amazement and Incredibly He left tn,
, store i'll silence. Not until we had nearly
reached the boat did he speak. Then h;
only said Boys, I'll fix him for that W.
, reached home without any reference to the
incident. On the way back Mr. Gould sa
upon his pocket handkerchief.
MR.. CRUGER'S RETALIATION
The same night Mr. Cruger perfected hi
plan Next day Cruger proposed fishing
party Mr. Gould declined to 20. He haC
concluded, he said, not to take an interes
? in young Lvingstons brickyard, and would
return to the city on the afternoon train
} A business engagement involving quite
sum had to be kept. His host argued Will
! him. but for a time to no purpose The sat
l urnine little man had n tremendous amount
of determination in Ills composition Final
} " a compromise was effected, il being agreeC
! that we should put Gould off at a station il
, time to catch train That he must catcl
it without fail, he most emphatically de
} clared.
3 The day passed on and we We're Off Sins
l Sing when we saw the smoke of the coming
l train We had been running free befor
, the wind, but Immediately Cruger, VIII,
! was at the stick, showed it down; we hauled
| in on the sheets and headed for the Eastern
0 shore. Gould was by this time on his fee
9 clinging to the windward coaming, tn
deepest anxiety pictured on his face. JUS
l there the water shoals rapidly. We wer,
within fifty feet of the shore, opposite tn,
railroad depot. The time had now CONT
for Cruger's revenge.
, "'Let go the main and iib sheetsr III
shouted. Down with your boardn
Never was order more eagerly obeyed
: The sheets whizzed through the blocks
ready hands slipped out the pin and iamme,
l down the centre-board and in n second ia,
yacht, with a grating shock and shaking
, sails, came to stand, fast on the sandy bot
tom. There she was bound 30 stay unit
{ the obstructmg board was lifted again.
} "'What's tine matterH exclaimed Gould
Gnxiousy. OF course he hal not dotecte,
, the i1lsc, Tor he knew no more about tax
working of yacht than a sea COW doe,
about "a, al Il an Iottl,